Brazil

Chris Murray, a University of Washington disease expert whose projections on COVID-19 infections and deaths are closely followed worldwide, is changing his assumptions about the course of the pandemic

Britain announced on Feb. 28 that it has given more than 20 million people at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, with the rapid rollout providing hope in a country with Europe's highest death toll.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson called it "a huge national achievement" while praising National Health Service staff and others involved for "tireless work".

The United States on Feb. 25 hailed progress in turning around its troubled Covid-19 vaccine rollout, and the European Union said it was also on track to meet jab targets as global coronavirus deaths topped 2.5 million.

The number of coronavirus infections worldwide has decreased by 11% during the period of February 15-21, while the number of fatalities has decreased by 20% compared to the previous week. A decrease in incidence has been occurring for six weeks in a row, according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) weekly epidemiological update published in Geneva on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Ersan Saner said on Feb. 19 that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will gradually ease coronavirus restrictions beginning Feb. 22. 

After a decline in cases, businesses and economic activities will gradually open.

A curfew will be imposed between 8 p.m. - 5 a.m. (0600GMT - 0300GMT) on weekdays, except to address basic needs.

Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE have started an international study with 4,000 volunteers to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of their COVID-19 vaccine in healthy pregnant women, the companies said on Thursday.

The number of novel coronavirus cases reported worldwide in the period of February 8-15 dropped 16% compared to the previous week, while fatalities declined by 10%, according to a weekly bulletin, released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva early on Wednesday.

The largest number of infected are in the United States - more than 18 million people, followed by India with almost 11 million infected, and Brazil with 9.9 million.
Russia is on the fourth place in the world and the first in Europe with more than four million cases of COVID-19.

The general manager of Turkey's Space Agency has said the country will launch its space mission with the support of other countries when it sends an astronaut into space as it is not a partner country to the International Space Station (ISS).

Rio de Janeiro would normally be kicking off its famed carnival now, but instead of booming drumlines, glittering floats and barely clad dancers, the Brazilian city's "Sambadrome" is hosting a COVID-19 vaccination drive this year.